Portable conveying apparatus



Aug. 28, 1934. J H, MQRROW 1,971,425

' PORTABLE. commune APPARgTUs Filed Aug. 11, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR J H MOPPOW ATToNEY Aug. 28, 1934.

as "45 5/ g 52 29 6 52 5 53 50 I J V QTQR 0AA0 f a fufis W ATTORNEYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR .J/iAdZMQgOPV /ZMMM ATTORNEY J.H.MORROW PORTABLE CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. '11, 1953 Aug. 28, 1934.

' UNITED STATES'VIPA'TENT o FicE PORTABLE CONVEYING APPARATUS Joseph H. Morrow, Hokendauqua, Pa.,' assignor to Fuller Company, Catasauqua, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application August 11, 1933, Serial No. 684,643

Claims. (Cl. 302-17) This invention relates to portable apparatus for the backpressure of the system and the inlet conveying pulverized or finely divided materials, pressure of the air. The purpose of the air so and more particularly to a conveyor of large cainjected is to aerate or fiuidize the material and pacity adapted for unloading vessels and for reaid its conveyance through the pipe-dine system.

6 claiming materials from warehouses and stock Various expedients for forming the seal have been 50 piles. It is, capable, when suspended and discussedin the patents mentioned above,themost lowered from a boom or, crane into the macommon being to employ screw flights of decreasterials to be conveyed, of cutting its way 111% pitch toward the terminal flight, usually in through the materials and pumping them through combination with a spac p d be ween the 10 small diameter pipe lines of extended length and terminal flight d the Po t Of a r admission. 5 elevation. The materials which can be conveyed e aerated mate al is o ced ou h pip include Portland cement, pulverized limestone, line system by the displacement effect of the imlime, soda ash and others having the characterpeller screw and the normal expansion of the air istic' of becoming fluent when mixed with air in used to create the fluent condition. 1

1| the proper proportions. The Conveyor ystem itself usually comprises 7 The invention is particularly directed to modia sufficient length of flexible hose; preferably fications and improvements of the apparatus disreinforced rubber, to allow the pump 130 be moved closed in my previous Patent No. 1,890,298, and throug u the pa in which the material is also to the patents referred to therein. The de- Stored, the hose being suitably coupled to the 20 tails of operation, of these conveyors and espeusual steel pipe line through which delivery is 7 cially the pumps are now well-understood in the made to the various receiving receptacles.

art, and are described fully in the patents men- Th p s nt n ion s Concerned with. a ti d above, g pump of high capacity and capable of trans- In brief, the operation of the portable pumping porting material Over t long d tances imsystem is as follows: As the materials lying in quently encountered between vessels and the stor-, the holds of vessels or other types of storage are age 0 WarBhOllSe u dings. hus, it has been usually inert, as they contain very little entrained us d t0 adv n a for c nv yin cement from air, they frequently become compacted or lumpy 388815, p o s y used for transporting b d and will not flow by gravity into the barrel of p t and has accordingly provided for a 30 the pump. In order that these conditions may considerable reduction in the costs of transporta- 35,

be 0vercome, and materials carried to the inlet tion and handling. The invention is likewise,

of a pump barrel at arate rapid enough to mainadapted for recovering cement and other matain the fullest conveying capacity of the appaterials f om StOCKhOUSBS, Without danger to ratus, as well as to insure uniformity in operworkmen, and without loss of material. As is ation, including the maintenance of the proper well known, the ground level stockhouse is the seal density, a feeding means must be provided cheapest form of storage, but heretofore has had to break up the compacted materials and bring the decided disadvantage of danger to workmen, them, and preferably force them, into the barrel due to slides of material, and no efiicient and conof the pump. g venient apparatus existed for recovering the 40 In my patent above noted, I have shown a feedmatel'ialt 95,

ing device, including a perforated disc, well the initial Stages 0f s Op a the padapted to perform'these functions, when the apparatus need not be accompanied y an p r t r. paratus is supported on wheels to recover cement u is p y IOWered o the material. The from cars,flat-bottom barges or warehouses. The feeding devices p t it to Continue to descend pulverized *rn'aterials delivered in a relatively and recover material Over a r a As p r dense condition by the disc' to the barrel of the ati011 proceeds, movement of fi pp us and pump are engaged by a; rapidly rotating impeller vertical cutting or under-cutting by the feeder screw; This screw .is so arranged that the macauses h material to flow y gravity n ury. terials are compacted as they are advanced the inlet of t P p thus maintaining a head 50 through the barrelto form a seal of sufficient of material which assists in'keping the appadensity to resist the escape of air, injected into ratus operating at full capacity.

the barrel slightly beyond the, terminal flight of Final recovery of the material lying in corthe screw backwardly along the flights of the ners or in small piles on the floor is made first screw. the density of the seal preferably being by guiding the apparatus manually, and later 55 maintained at the minimum density permitted by by sweeping or shovelling the material into piles so that it can be picked up by the feeding devices. The apparatus is so arranged that it can be buried by slides of material without danger to the parts.v

In general, the new apparatus is similar in arrangement to that disclosed in my patent referred to above. Its construction, however, differs considerably in order to adapt it to. the peculiar requirements and use as described. It differs particularly in that the pump barrel, impeller screw and driving motor are arranged for vertical operation, the feeder drive mechanism is preferably located between the motor and the barrel of the pump, and the feeder preferably comprises two discs of a novel type, arranged in planes at right angles to the axis of the screw, the discs spanning a considerably greater area of material than the inlet to the barrel.

As the apparatus is freely suspended, the two feeding discs or their equivalents have approximately equal and opposite reactions to prevent the apparatus from turning. Thus, a single horizontal disc in combination with the vertical pump fails to maintain the desired capacity, will not allow the apparatus to descend vertically, and has a decided disadvantage in causing the apparatus to tend toward rotation about the center of the feed disc, even if a vertical plate is attached to the barrel of the pump to engage the material and resist rotation.

The discs may be provided with cutting edges, and in addition to countersunk perforations, are provided with radial openings, preferably punched or otherwise so formed that the metal is bent downwardly to form scoops or lifters, whereby'the discs will tend to cut or bore downwardly and accelerate the movement of material to the inlet of the barrel.

The discs preferably overlap, and. sufficient vertical clearance is provided to clear the scoops. Turning oppositely, they deliver and force the material into a hood at the entrance of the barrel where it is engaged by a vertical impeller screw rotating in the usual pump barrel. The usual air ring is provided beyond the terminal flight of the screw and the discharge section includes an angular or offset elbow, to make connection to the flexible section of the transport line.

The screw shaft passes through a wall of the elbow, and is shouldered to receive two bushings, both of which are secured, as by means of keys, so that the bushings turn with the shaft.

Sealing devices for dust and lubricants are provided for the shaft in order to protect the bearings and speed reduction gearing, located above the wall of the elbow. Although a counter-current of air at higher pressure than that of the material and air in the discharge elbow is caused to flow around the shaft and into the elbow, as is usual in pumps of this type, this expedient cannot berelied upon exclusively to protect the bearings, gears and other parts beyond the wall of the elbow, because the apparatus is subjected to roughusage-by unskilled and careless operators, and positive seal or dead end is'desirable to prevent a flow of air upwardly. Ac cordingly, a chamber is provided in the discharge section to receive a positive dust sealing device arranged on an inner or lower shaft bushing. This bushing is keyed to the outer or upper bushing so that it can be removed with the dust sealing. devices, through a. port in the wall of the chamber, for repair or replacement after the shaft has been drawn through it, and without removingthe outer bushing or dismantling the shaft bearing assembly or the speed reduction mechanism. This arrangement effectively protects the parts of the apparatus above the discharge elbow, at the same time enabling the operator to keep the pump in operation with a minimum of delays for repair. This dust sealing apparatus is disclosed in full detail in my copending application Serial No. 685,167, filed August 15, 1933.

The screw is driven preferably by an electric motor, ordinarily a squirrel cage induction motor, which may comprise a standard commercial form of vertical stator frame, and a rotor suitably secured to the upper screw bushing, and the frame is provided with end-bells specially made so that the same bearings will serve both for the impeller screw and the motor. The screw shaft is arranged for vertical adjustment within the bushings, whereby the seal of the pump may be changed without disturbing the dynamic balance of the screw, as by cutting away or adding portions of the terminal flight.

In order to accommodate pumps of the same barrel dimensions to various conveying distances, it will be obvious that the apparatus must be accommodated to wide ranges of driving motor sizes. To this end, I prefer to employ a novel type of power take-off and speed reduction mechanism for the feeding discs and to locate this mechanism between the motor and the barrel of the pump. As the feed discs are most efficient at a speed of about 30 R. P. M. and as 900 to 1200 R. P. M. motors are commonly used, reduction gearing of the proper ratio is provided.

By this arrangement, the only substantial changes necessary to construct the apparatus to accommodate various sizes of motors include the proper size of motor end-bells and lengths of the upper screw bushings and screw shafts.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation;

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in cross-section, on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail of the feeder drive and speed reduction mechanism on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of thefeeding discs;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional detail of a feeding disc on line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional detail of the one-way valve and line blow-out device.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the apparatus will be seen to comprise generally, a vertically arranged pump assembly 1, feeder drive mechanism 2, and a driving motor 3, the apparatus being arranged for suspension from a boomor crane (not shown). as indicated generally by the chain block and hook 4. The pump barrel 5, as will be seen in detail in Fig. 2, terminates in a hood 6, opening at the side toward the direction of the incoming material and which spans the inner halves of the feeding discs 7 and 8, which preferably overlap and which span a wide area of material. The material is carried by the discs into the hood, where it is engaged by the lower flight of the impeller screw 9, secured to the screw shaft 10, the lower flight extending below the inlet to the barrel 5. As is well understood, the pitch of the flights preferably decreases toward the terminal flight 11, in order to compact the material and assist in forming the seal. It is likewise well understood that the density of the material to be handled and the back pressure of the system, due

operating conditions, I prefer to combine with the differentialpitch of the screw the expedient, as referred to in the patents above mentioned, of providing aispaee between the terminal flight 11 and the point of air admission indicated by the air ring '12, and'to make the lengthof this space variable, as described" hereinafter. a The air ring 12 is suitably flanged and secured. to the discharge section 13, which includes an offset discharge elbow: 14, suitably flanged and secured to the one-way valve'a'nd blowout device 1 5; the details of which areshown more particu' larly in Fig. 6.

Theone-way valve comprises an inlet 16, pro vided with a seat 17 for a flap valve 18, carried by a shaft 19'. The flap valve 18 is free to drop by gravity into closed position, and is maintained in the open position only by the displacement of material against it, whereby if the feed stops or the power fails, material in the vertical section of the system is restrained from flowing backwardly, acondition which might create a dust still in anaerated condition, and after the pump has'been shut down. The valve 15 is suitably flanged to receive the coupling 21 0f the flexible hose 22, through which the material passes to the stationary sections ofthe pipe line (not shown).

The screw shaft 10 passes upwardly through the wall of the elbow 14 and the upper part of the discharge section 13, and is reduced in diameter forming a shoulder 23 to engage an in other, as at :26, and the upper bushing is keyed to the shaft by the lock collar and key 27'.

Theusual clearance'isprovided at 28, between the shaft 11" and the walls of the dischargesection 13, to provide a passage for a countercurrent of air, admitted through the usual tubing and choke-plug, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, to resist upward movement ofdust.

A chamber 29 is provided in-the upper portion" of the dischargesection 13, in order to accommodate a positive dust sealing device such as that disclosed in my application above identified, and

which. in: this case should preferably comprise a flanged ring 30,which surrounds the shaft bushing'24 and is held stationary by securing its flange to the bottom-,wall of the chamber 29 by capscrews. A complementary ring 31 engages the upper wall of the chamber and each is provided with rotatingrings such as 32, the rotating rings being held in engagement with the stationary rings 30 and 31 by means of a; coil spring 33. The rings :32 rotate with the shaft, due to the presence of suitable packing, usually rubber rings, but it is tobe understood that the rotating and fixed rings are in actual metal-to-metal engagement, excepting for the lubricant, preferably a medium: oil, with which the chamber 29 should be partially filled;

The surface contact of the rings and the presence of the lubricant prevents damage to the driving parts if air pressure fails, by excluding abrawardly through the bushings and barrel.

sive dusts, and also serves as a "deadend" to prevent upward escape of compressedair carrying dust particles.

The upper end of the discharge section 13 is flanged and secured to the lower half 34 of the feeder drive housing, which is provided with a central chamber 35 to accommodate a sealing device 36'simi'lar to that described above, but having as its main object the function of preventing the escape of lubricant, preferably light fibre grease. The power takeoff and speed reduction mechanism for driving the feed discs comprises a helical gear 3'7, secured to the upper shaft bushing 25, and as shown in Fig. 3, meshing with gear 38 on the countershaft 39. The countershaft is supported in suitable bearings, as indicated at 40, and carries near its opposite ends worms 41 which drive helical gears 42.

As the remainderof the driving mechanism for the discs 7 and 8 is identical, except for opposite rotation, only one will be described in detail. The helical gear 42 is secured to the upperend of the vertical disc shaft 43, the latter being,

supported for rotation in a radial bearing44 in the upper half45 of the housing-and a radial and thrust bearing 46 in the lower half 34. The lower end of'the shaft 43 is suitablysupported for rotation in the bushed bearing 47,,through which it passes, the disc 8 being secured at its center to the end of the shaft, preferably bysoft or light rivets which will shear, if tramp materials are engaged, to prevent injury to the drive mechanism. 1

The disc connection is provided with an extension 48, below the end surface of the'disc, toprevent engagement of the latter with the floor. The bearing 47 is secured to the barrel 5 by a bracket 49, which carries a support 50fipreferably formed as an integralpart of the casting, a pair of supports 50, or'their equivalents being necessary to preventdamage to the feed discs when the pump is out of service and resting on its side; that-is. the right of Fig. 1.

The screw shaft bearing, arrangement comprises a 'loweriradial bearing 51, carried by the upper half 45 of the housing. and having its inner race abutting the shoulder 52 formed by the en larged section 53 of the upper "shaft bushing 25. As the thrust of the screw is downward, the upper end of, the screw is supported in the combined radial and thrust bearing 54, supported by the upper end-bell 55 of the-"motor3.

The electricalparts of the motors commonly employed consist of a standard vertical stator frame 56 and rotor 5'7, the latter being suitably motors can be used with no changes excepting in the length of the screw shaft 10, and bushing 53.

To remove the screw shaft 10, the apparatus may be raised or tilted on its side, the feed discs 7 and 8, the dust cap 62 and the jam nut 63 removed, whereupon the shaft may be drawn down- In order that the distance between the terminal flight 11 and the air ring 12 may be modified without altering the terminal flight, one or more washers 64 are inserted between the jam nut 63 and the lock collar and key 2'7. By applying these washers, the shaft 10 may be lifted and the distance between the terminal flight 11 and the air ring 12 decreased, thus reducing the density of the seal. It will be understood that a seal of minimum density is desired to reduce the power to turn the shaft by reducing the friction load, and likewise to decrease wear on the parts. To compensate for the displacement of the shoulder 23 on the shaft with relation to the lower bushing 24, washers are added or removed, the upper washer being preferably of leather, fabric or other packing material to prevent the entrance of dust between the shaft and the bushmgs.

I have found that the dust sealing apparatus contained in the chamber 29 to be the part most liable to wear, caused by improper pressure reduction in the usual air supply in the space 28 between the shaft and the wall of the discharge section 13. In order that the sealing device may be removed and repaired or a new one substituted without dismantling the apparatus, the'operator proceeds as in removing the screw and when the .shaft passes the inner bushing 24, the ports 65,

shown in Fig. l, and which communicate with the chamber 29, are opened; the cap-screws or other securing devices which retain the flanged rings 30 and 31 are removed, the spring 33 is compressed, thereby releasing the entire dust seal assembly, including the bushing 24, the assembly being removable through either one of the ports 65.

The air supply, from any suitable source (not shown) and ranging in pressures from 5 to 40 pounds, depending upon the quantity of material handled, its density and the distance to which it must be transported, enters through a suitable inlet 66, in the direction of the arrow, under the control of a valve or cock 67. It is preferably piped to both sides of the air ring 12, through suitable branch piping 68, this air ring being of usual design will not be described in detail.

Above the valve 67 a branch line 68a under control of valve 69 serves to admit air through the inlet 20, shown in Fig. 6. Air is admitted through the inlet 20 only when the pump is stopped, and is then admitted in large volume while the material is still fluent in order to clear the transport line so that the apparatus can again be started without overloading the pump motor. This is particularly necessary when handling heavy materials such as cement, and when the pump is to be shut down for several hours. For short periods, especially when lighter materials are conveyed, this procedure is desirable, but not absolutely essential.

To assist in the final recovery of material, a railing 70, suitably supported from the barrel 5, and the bearing housings 47, is provided to enable the operator to turn the apparatus and guide the feed discs into the material,

It has been found'that the best design of feeding discs is that shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The periphery of each disc is preferably serrated as at 71, and provided'with inclined surfaces 72 which serve as plows to assist in undercutting thedensely compacted material and to cause it to break up and flow by gravity to the upper surfaces of the discs. In order that the apparatus may bore downwardly into the mass of material, each disc is provided with a plurality of radially punched slots 73, the slots being punched on three sides and the metal bent downwardly to form scoops or lifters 74, as shown in Fig. 5. Most of the material loosened by the scoops 74 flows upwardly along their inclined surfaces, and rests upon the discs and the remainder passes through the countersunk circular apertures 75.

The operation of the apparatus will be apparent from the above description, and it will be understood that it is to be suspended from any suitable apparatus from which it can be raised and lowered at will and moved laterally within the vessel or other storage receptacle.

At the beginning of theoperation of recovering material, the air is first admitted through the air ring 12, under the control of valve 67. The motor is then started and the apparatus lowered as nearly toward the center of the material as is convenient, as in this location transverse movement of the apparatus is minimized, for unless the material is in an exceptionally dense condition, the material will flow by gravity toward the inlet from all directions. The operator lowers the machine from time to time as the head above the feed discs decreases to a point where there is liability of operation below maximum capacity. For final recovery, the operator first guides the apparatus by means of the hand rail '70 and shovels or sweeps the residue into piles from which it can be picked up by the feed discs.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in the apparatus, that other types of motors may be used and that the feeding apparatus may be modified or independently driven without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. Conveying apparatus for unloading and reclaiming pulverulent materials and arranged to be suspended and lowered into the materials, comprising the combination of a vertical barrel having an open lower end for the admission of materials, an offset discharge elbow connected to the upper end, a screw shaft arranged concentrically within the barrel, and extending upwardly through a wall of the elbow, an electric motor having its rotor secured to the shaft near its upper end, a feeder for delivering material to the open end of the barrel adjacent thereto, and means for driving the feeder from the shaft, comprising power takeoff and speed reduction gearing, arranged in a housing secured to the frame of the motor, the housing supporting the feeder, barrel and discharge elbow.

2. Conveying apparatus for unloading and reclaiming pulverulent materials, and arranged to be suspended and lowered into the material, comprising the combination of a vertical barrel having an open lower end for the admission of ma terials, an offset discharge elbow connected to the upper end, a screw shaft arranged concentrically within the barrel and extending upwardly through a wall of the elbow, a motor for driving the shaft secured thereto near its upper end, a feeder adjacent to and below the open end of the barrel comprising at least one horizontal perforated disc, arranged on a substantially vertical driving shaft, and means for driving the feeder at relatively slow speed to deliver material to the open end of the barrel.

3. Conveying apparatus for unloading and reclaiming pulverulent materials, and arranged to be suspended and lowered into the material, comprising the combination of a vertical barrel having an open lower end for the admission of ing the shaft secured thereto near its upper end, a feeder adjacent to the open end of the barrel,

comprising at least one substantially horizontal- (disc provided. with openings and scoops extending. below the under surface of the disc at one side of the openings, the disc being arranged on a substantially vertical driving shaft, and means for-driving the disc. I i v 4. Conveying apparatus for unloading and reclaimin'g'pulverulent materials; and arranged to be suspended and lowered into the material, comprising the combination of a vertical barrel having: an open "lower end for the admission of material, an offset discharge elbow connected to the upper end, a screw shaft arranged concentrically within the barrel andextending upward- .ly through a wall of the elbow, a motor for driving the shaft secured thereto near its upper end, a feeder secured to thebarrel near the open end thereof, comprisingat least one substantiallyhorizontal disc, provided with substantially' radial openings, inclined lifters at one side of the openings and extending below the under surface of thevdisc, the disc beingsecured at its center to a vertical driving shaft, and means for drivingthediscr 5. Conveying apparatus for unloading and re f claiming pulverulent materials, and arranged to be suspended and lowered into the material,

comprising the combination ofna vertical barrel having an open-lower end for the admission of material, an offset discharge elbow connected to [the upper end, a screw shaft arranged concenhorizontal disc, having a serrated periphery and provided with. substantially radial openings, inclined liftersat one side of the openings and extending below the under surface of the disc, the disc being; secured at its center to a vertical driving shaft, and means for driving the disc.

6, Conveying apparatus for unloading and reclaiming pulverulent materials, and arranged to be suspended and lowered into the material, comprising the combination of a vertical barrel having an open lower. end for the admission of material, an offset discharge elbowconnected to the upper end, a screw shaft arranged concentrically within the barrel and extending upwardly througha wall of the elbow, means for driving the shaft connected thereto near its upper end, a

] feeder adjacent to and below the open end of the barrel, comprising a pair of perforated, substantially horizontalfeed discs, and means'for driving the discs at a speed considerably lower than the speed of the shaft.

7. Conveying apparatus for unloading and reclaiming pulverulent materials, and arranged to. be suspended. and lowered into the material, comprising the combination of a vertical. barreL'having anopen lower end for the admission of ma- I aerial", an offset discharge elbow connected to the upper end,.a screw shaft arranged concentrically within the barrel and extending upwardly through a wall of the elbow, means-for driving the shaft connected thereto near its. upper end,

" afeeder. adjacent to andbelow the open end of the barrel, comprising a pair of overlapping, perfo rated, substantially horizontal discs, secured at their centers to vertical driving shafts, and means for driving the discs at a speed lowerthan the speed of the screw shaft, v

8. Conveying apparatus for unloading and reclaiming pulverulent materials, and arranged to be suspended and lowered into the material, comprising the combination of a vertical. barrel having an open lower end for the admission of materials, an offset discharge elbow connected to the upper end, a screw shaft arranged concentrically within the barrel and extending upwardly through a wall of the elbow, means for driving the shaft secured thereto near its upper end, two perforated, horizontal feed discs, overlapping below the .open end of the barrel to deliver material thereto, the discs being secured at their centers to vertical driving shafts, and means for driving the diSCS'.

9..Co nv eying apparatus for unloading and reclaiming pulverulent materials, and arranged to be suspended and loweredinto the material, comprisingthecombination of a vertical barrel hav- I ing an open lower endgterminatingina hood having ,anopen side for the admission of material, an offset dischargeelbow connected to the upper end, a screw shaft arranged concentrically within thebarrel, and having a lower flight extending into the hood, the shaft extending upwardly through a wall of the elbow, means for driving the shaft secured thereto near its upper end, a pair of perforated horizontal feed discs overlapping below the hood, the latter spaiining substantially the inner halves of the discs, the discs being secured at their centers to vertical driving shafts, and means for driving the discs at a speed considerably slower than screw shaft.

that of the 10. Conveying apparatus for unloading and re- I claiming. pulverulent materials, and arranged to be suspended and lowered into the material, comprising the combination of a vertical barrel having an open lower end terminating in a hood substantially the inner halves of the discs, the

discs being secured at their centers to vertical driving shafts, and means for driving the shafts from the screw shaft comprising power take-off and speed reduction gearing.

11. Conveying apparatus for unloading and reclaiming pulverulent materials, and arranged to be suspended and lowered into the material, comprising the combination of a vertical barrel having an open lower end for the admission of material, 'an offset discharge elbow connected to theupper end, a screw shaft arranged concentrically within the barrel, and extending upwardly through a wall of the elbow, an electric motor having its rotor secured to its shaft near'its upper end, and its stator frame serving to support the entire apparatus, a pair of horizontal feed discs below the open end of the barrel for delivering material thereto, the discs being secured to vertical shafts, and means for driving the shafts from the screw shaft, comprising power take-off and speed reduction gearing, arranged in a housing connected to and supported by the frame of the motor.

12. In an apparatus for unloading and reclaiming pulverized materials, a feeder comprising the combination of a substantially vertical shaft. means for driving the shaft connected thereto near its upper end, a substantially horizontal feed disc secured at its center to the shaft, the disc being provided with a plurality of perforations and scoops adjacent to at least some of the perforations and extending below the under surface of the disc, the scoops inclining toward the direction of rotation of the disc.

13. Conveying apparatus for pulverulent materials adapted to be suspended and lowered into the material, which comprises a barrel having an open end for the admission of material, a,

discharge elbow connected to the other end of the barrel, a shaft within ing through the wall of the carrying screw flights, a shaft mounted outside the barrel and parallel to thefshaft therein, a feeder element on said outside "shaft,'said element being formed to deliver material into the open end of the barrel, means for driving the shafts at different speeds, andmeans connected to said barrel by which said, apparatus may be suspended with said shafts substantially vertical.

l4. Conveying apparatus for pulverulent materials adapted to be suspended and lowered into said materials, which comprises a barrel having an inlet and an outlet, a shaft within said barrel the barrel and extendelbow, said-shafthaving screw flights for discharging materials through said outlet, a shaft mounted in bearings outside the barrel and lying parallel to the shaft inside the barrel, a feeder element on said outside shaft operable to supply materials to the inside of the barrel through the inlet, a motor attached to the barrel, connections between the motor and shafts, and means connected to the motor by which said apparatus may be suspended with said shafts substantially vertical and said inlet below said outlet.

15. Conveying apparatus for unloading and conveying pulverulent materials, adapted to be suspended and lowered into the materials, comprising the combination of a vertical barrel having anopen lower end for the admission of materials, an offset discharge elbow connected to the upper end, a screw shaft having screw flights arranged concentrically within the barrel, the shaft extending upwardly through a wall of the elbow and supported in bearings beyond the wall, a motor for driving the shaft at relatively high speed connected thereto near its upper end, a feeder adjacent to and below the open end of the barrel for delivering material thereto, the feeder spanning a greater area of material than the barrel, means for driving the feeder at relatively slow speed, and means by which said apparatus may be suspended with the screw shaft substantially vertical.

JOSEPH H. MORROW. 

